Hero of the Zodiac
by KC Knight
Summary: Something is wrong. Darkness has covered the land. The Guardians have banished into their Shrines, showing no signs of ever coming back out. The Zodiac Gates, along with the Shrines, have been sealed. Famine has taking over and people are dying. "When night trumps over day, one will fall from the sky to avenge the corrupt land. Can you remember that?"
1. The Aries I

**Read the author's note at the end after you've read the story, please. It would be a big help.**

* * *

The land of Aria was entering its second month of night and it had yet to see a hero. Feliciano suspected that the other lands were experiencing the same situation—fatigue, illness, and the loss of their respective guardians. (Then again, he could only speculate since the High Priestess locked Zodiac Gates and forbade anyone from going near them.)

Feliciano was a priest of the Aries—more of a priest in training, really—and had direct contact to his guardian on a regular basis. Ever since the night had taken over, the Aries suddenly disappeared deep into the Shrine. After that, constant thunderous noises could be heard from the top and minor quakes in the earth were felt.

None of the senior priest had understood what was happening. The Aries would never leave His people in such a challenging time, causing mass confusion and chaos. Had the Aries abandoned His people? That was one thing Feliciano refused to believe.

The Aries, Mathias as He liked to be called to further connect with His people, may be headstrong and impulsive, but He was a caring man and wouldn't do such a thing. Feliciano made daily trips to the Shrine, even if he wasn't allowed to enter, and did his prayers to their guardian. He prayed that Mathias would return to normal soon and come back to aid His people. Feliciano prayed that Mathias was unharmed and would be able to solve the mystery of the night's invasion.

"Feliciano, you're still out here?" asked one of the senior priests. "Son, it's nearly dinner time."

Feliciano looked up from his bowed position on the floor. This was the first time they were having dinner this week. He gave the older priest a small smile. "I wanted to keep the Aries company while he is…away."

The priest chuckled. "You will no doubt live up to your grandfather's legacy, Feliciano. I think you've serviced the Aries enough for tonight, son. Come, dinner is waiting."

"You may go along without me—I would like to finish."

"Of course. See you at dinner, Feliciano."

Feliciano nodded and turned back to the Shrine doors. They weren't locked, so that wasn't what stopped priests from entering. What stopped them was the dark energy coming from the hill the Shrine was apart of. It screamed anger and hatred and pain. Access to the Shrine had been cut off to the public weeks ago, allowing only priests to step in its direction.

Feliciano ignored the tugging in his gut telling him to leave (as he always did) and bowed back down to continue his prayers. He prayed that the lands would be united again. He prayed that the other guardians were well. He even snuck in a prayer about his older brother, Lovino, hoping that he was safe wherever he was and was having more fortune than they were.

'_Feliciano…_'

Feliciano's head snapped up at the call of his name in Guardian-speak. He knew whom the voice belonged to. '_Mathias!_'

'_I don't have much time, so I'll make this quick. When night trumps over day, one will fall from the sky to avenge the corrupt land. Can you remember that?_'

Feliciano furrowed his eyebrows. '_Yes, I think so._'

'_Good, I must get going. _Tak.'

While the use of the Aries's own language made him smile, Feliciano tried to rush all his questions out. '_Wait, are you all right? What's happening? Why aren't the Gates open?_'

'_The fallen one will answer all the questions_.'

'_Mathias!_' but it was too late. Feliciano could no longer feel the Aries's presence.

He leaned back, rubbing his forehead to ease the pain away. Guardian-speak was a highly advanced priest skill, one that took power. Feliciano had been able to speak it since he was thirteen.

"I hope you're all right, ve," Feliciano muttered to the Shrine doors. "We _need _you."

As if a response, a loud cracking noise sounded from the top of the hill where the Shrine ended, causing the ground beneath Feliciano to shake. A response filled with pain and longing.

* * *

Feliciano was taking his evening walk when it happened. At first, Feliciano thought it was a bird diving, but as it got closer to the ground its shape became more defined. It was a _human_. Feliciano could only watch in horror as the body hit the ground a hill away. He looked around frantically, hoping to catch the eye of someone who had wandered out of the eating hall. When he caught a group of thin, younger boys—thirteen, fourteen at the most; some of the Aries's orphans—he motioned them to come over. "Someone fell on the hill over there! Come help me check on them."

While the boys were slightly scared, they followed Feliciano. The young man ran as fast as he could, making it to the top of the hill in an inhuman time. The boys, once caught up, nearly collapsed out of breathlessness.

"Boys," Feliciano said softly, walking over to the person on the ground. "Come here and help me pick him up."

The person on the floor was a young man, probably around Feliciano's age. His hair was as dark as the Taurus's hide in his beast form, and almost as small as the Pisces in her human form. His chest rose with gentle breaths, almost as if he hadn't fallen from the sky. Feliciano knelt by the man's side, the boys surrounding him.

"How did he get here?" one asked.

"How did you see him?" asked another

"Is he drunk?" asked the last.

Feliciano looked up at the last one. "Ve?"

He shrugged. "Drunk people pass out, right?"

Feliciano eyed him a while longer before turning back to the man. _How are we going to do this? I'm not strong enough to carry anything other than my body weight… _"Boys, can you run and get some medics for me? Be quick."

The teenagers nodded, running back down the hill. Feliciano sighed and turned back to the man passed out on the hill.

"'One will fall from the sky to avenge the corrupt land,'" Feliciano repeated. "I hope you are the answers to our prayers, mister."

* * *

**Day 1 - Arien Hospital**

* * *

"Hey, you're awake!"

The back haired man looked to the door of his room, seeing the young priest holding a tray of food.

"I was thinking I'd have to wake you up, but this is much more convenient, ve!"

The black-haired man didn't respond. Feliciano was used to it.

"I was thinking that today after breakfast that we could try walking again! I know the first time you ended up collapsing, but you didn't have someone helping you."

The black-haired man simply nodded, taking a bite of bread.

"Are you sure you don't remember your name?" Feliciano asked.

The black-haired man nodded slowly.

"That's a shame. I bet you'd have a lovely name. Most people who look like you do."

The man looked at the young priest weirdly.

Feliciano blushed darkly, embarrassed. "I meant that in the greatest honor! You resemble the people of the Sagittarius, and his people usually have very flowing and beautiful names. Even the Sagittarius's own name, Yao Wang, sounds so beautiful. Feliciano Vargas is an all right name, but the Sagittarius people always have the best names. It's a known fact among the Zodiacs. I apologize if I offended you."

The man shook his head and turned back to his food.

"Um, ve, some of the older priests are considering having you sworn into the name of the Aries. If you want to, I can tell them you'd like to. The ceremonies are held at the end of every week. You'd receive a name, like the youth does."

The man looked back at Feliciano before nodding slowly.

"So you want to go through with it?"

He nodded again.

"Great! I'll tell the Namer he has someone else joining him this week." Feliciano thought of the other news he needed to tell the man. He came up blank. "I don't think there's much else to tell you. Would you like to try walking now?"

The man nodded again, already trying to pull himself up.

Feliciano let out an airy laugh. "Slow down, ve; let me help you."

The man allowed Feliciano to grasp his forearm wrap a hand around his back. He slowly stood up on wobbly legs, trying his best not to lean on Feliciano. Once he gained his balance, he stepped forward to test his legs. They wobbled slightly, but he still managed to stay up right. He took a few more steps, getting encouragement from Feliciano.

"I'm going to let go now," Feliciano warned before slowly removing his hands from the man.

The man stayed up right, walking more on his own.

Feliciano felt his heart warm at the sight. _Our hero learning to walk again—I feel so happy, ve!_

The man wandered around the room, albeit slowly, looking at every aspect he could.

Feliciano smiled softly when he saw the man play with the cherry blossoms that had been recently picked. "You like those?"

The man nodded, pulling one of the long stems out of the vase. He inspected it further, dark eye full of fascination. "Pretty…"

Feliciano jumped at his soft voice, the sound coming out of nowhere. "Excuse me?"

"The…cherry blossoms, yes? They are pretty," the man said.

"You can speak?" the young priest asked.

The man nodded.

"You know how to speak, but you do not know your name?"

"Yes."

"That's very peculiar, ve." Feliciano narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment. How could one know how to speak, but not know his name? Maybe it was amnesia. The man _did_ fall from the sky. Feliciano let his expression soften again, smiling at the man. "I unfortunately have some errands to run so you are welcome to wander around the clinic. Return to your room when you wish to rest again. If you can't make it, just ask for assistance and anyone will help you. Be careful and don't get yourself into trouble, ve."

The man nodded curtly, putting the cherry blossom stem back into the vase.

Once Feliciano left, the man waited a few moments before walking towards the large wooden door. He opened it slowly, looking out into the hallway. It bustled with people: priest, nuns, children, and other patients. The man noticed they all shared one feature—a necklace that held a strange symbol resembling a "V". Whether it be wooden or metal, they all wore one around their neck.

He held a hand up to his own chest, not knowing exactly why he did.

"Hi!"

He looked down, noticing a small girl.

"My name is Britta. What's yours?"

He blinked, not sure how to answer. "I do not…have one."

Britta pouted. "That's not good. Are you going to get a name from Father Ansgar? Mama says he gave me mine."

He nodded.

"Yay! I'll go to the ceremony so I can learn your name, too. Well, bye, mister. I hope you get your name soon!"

The little girl skipped off down the hall, leaving him on his own. He walked out, closing the door behind him. He started down the hall, following the way Britta had gone. He nodded to the various people he passed, having small talk with some of the priests that asked about his condition. (It slightly worried him that all of them knew about his situation when he barely understood what was happening.)

The Clinic was a large building filled with patient rooms, a cafeteria, and a recreational center filled with unfamiliar games. (One such game was called "Ring of the Arien," in which one would toss a ring painted with fire and signs of the Aries about the width of a wrist onto a hanging hook. Children played on teams of three and each time the ring landed on the hook, a younger child would draw a line on the ground, symbolizing the point made. He thought it looked very tedious, but the children seemed to enjoy running around.) He saw many sick people brought in; all passed out and skin so tight it looked like the bones were popping out of their skin.

(He heard someone murmur about the "damn famine". He assumed that's why they looked so horrible.)

When his legs started to ache, he was walking down one of the recovery hallways. Recovery hallways were for people who were recovering from whatever they were admitted for and no longer needed nurses checking on them so often. He was current housed in the East Recovery hallway.

He found a bench to sit on and pulled his legs up to his side, rubbing his ankles. He hissed a little when he touched them, noticing that they were slightly swollen. Feliciano told him to ask for help if he needed it…

_No, you can do this, _he thought. His eyes narrowed in determination as he forced himself up. He was only able to take two steps before he collapsed on the ground.

_Come on_…

His legs refused to function with him and he couldn't pull himself onto his feet again. He let out an irritated grunt and let his head thump against the armrest of the bench. He figured he'd just sit there until someone walked by or the swelling went down. He waited for what felt like forever before he heard a door crack open. He lifted his head and looked up to see a young blonde man smoking a pipe while leaning against the door. His torso was wrapped in clean white bandages, like they had just been changed.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a gruff voice around his pipe.

The black-haired man looked around and shrugged. "Sitting?"

The smoking man looked at him weirdly. "Can you do that in your own room? You can grunt and bang your head all you want there."

"I would, but my legs don't work."

He looked at the black-haired man's legs. "They're swollen."

"Which is why I can't walk."

The blonde fell silent, taking a moment to smoke his pipe some more. "Where's your room?"

"The South Recovery hall," he replied.

The blonde smoked so more before answering, "I can carry you there."

He contemplated for a moment. That may be his only way back to his room. "I guess that's my only option now."

The blonde grunted before crouching down, his back facing the black-haired man. He noticed scared running up and down the blonde's back, some looking fresher than others.

"What are you waiting for?"

"N-nothing. I apologize," he stuttered out. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck and was hoisted up.

Large hands grabbed under his knees and pulled him closer. "Great Libra, you're light. Small, too, like the Pisces."

He didn't understand a word that was said to him. "What?"

"What?"

"'Great Libra'? 'Small like the Pisces'? What does that mean?"

The man looked over his shoulder at the black-haired man, his pipe still in the corner of his mouth. "Like the Zodiac Guardians? The Aries, the Taurus, the Gemini, the Cancer, the Leo, the Virgo, the Libra, the Scorpio, the Sagittarius, the Capricorn, the Aquarius, the Pisces? Any ring a bell?"

He shook his head.

The blonde let out a long sigh, smoke coming out with it. "Let's keep it simple then. The Pisces is the smallest of the Guardians, so it's a common expression for someone to say 'as small as the Pisces' or 'short like the Pisces'. 'Great Libra' is a personal habit because I'm from the land of the Libra. It's a common expression there. Here it would probably be 'Great Aries' or something akin to that because we're in the land of the Aries."

The black-haired man nodded his head in understanding. "Thank you for explaining that."

"No problem. Which room is yours?"

He looked around, noticing they were in the South Recovery hall. "The fifth one on the left."

The blonde walked up to the door, lifting his leg so he could open it with his foot. "Where do you want me to put you?"

"The bed is fine."

He walked over to the bed and leaned down to let the black-haired man fall onto the bed.

"Thank you, um…"

"Abel." Abel took a drag from his pipe. "See you later…"

"I don't have a name. I am told I am being named this week," he answered.

"Then you'll probably get some weird name that means volcano. The Ariens prefer tough sounding, ridiculous names. Half the people here have names that mean simple things like 'stone' or 'mountain'. Let's hope you don't get one of those names, yeah?"

Once Abel left, the black-haired man looked down at his lap. _That was an…interesting first impression. _

* * *

Hi, beautiful person. You might want to read this WHOLE author's note. I promise you cookies and booties if you read it all.

This is what I've had cooking on my laptop for the past _week__s_. Yeah, it took that long because I'm really putting thought into this. And it _scares me_. Here's the dealio-I have a tendency to stop in the middle of a story and refuse to ever work on it again. I _don't_ want this to happen with this story. This is the dream video game I want to make, the TV series I would kill to write, the Webcomic I'd love to co-create. (I can't draw, hence "co-create".) But since I don't have the power to do any of that, I made it a fanfiction so at least other people could enjoy it like I do. But I digress.

What I'm asking for are **betas and consultants**. I don't care how many betas I get; the more the merrier. You could work out how the multi-Beta'ing would work; I'd give you full power of that. I also need video game fans. Huge fans of the Legend and Zelda franchise (which is what this story is heavily influenced by, especially _Twilight Princess_) are EXACTLY what I'm looking for. They'd be the consultants to _parts that I won't name because it might give the rest of this arc away_._  
_

**In order to be a beta, you must have:**

-Written at least five stories that have comments _OR_ prove that you have beta'd a decent story before

-Be friendly because you'll probably have to interact with other betas.

-Knowledge on how to write active sentences. I SUCK at those and consider them to be my major weakness.

**In order to be a consultant, you must have**:

-A sufficient amount of knowledge on Dungeon games (ex. _The Legend of Zelda_).

-Creativity and imagination

-The ability to withstand my ignorance when it comes to these kinds of games. I'll be asking questions.

That's the gist of it. Extra: you have to be able to do _all_ the requirements. Not just one of the three, or even two of the three. I'm trusting you to help me through it all. I can make an estimated chapter index for you: about 60 chapters (hopefully). There are 12 zodiac signs, and I'm hoping I can give them each 3-5 chapters each.

Oh, and I don't want all of you being betas/consultants. I probably won't go over three or something.

_PM me what you'd like to be and show me you credentials for that position. _

By the way, this story will probably be HolPan, but not in dirty, sexy, copious amounts. You could probably look at it as a very deep friendship. (With kissing. Maybe.) But, hey, if my fingers slip, you were warned. If you are not a fan of this rare pair, have no fear! Fan favorites like Spamano, RoChu, SuFin, and USUK if you squint will appear eventually. Maybe PruHun if I'm up to it. (Don't count on it, though.)

Another thing to note: if this story doesn't get enough recognition, I'm afraid I won't continue it. I'm not doing this because I have low self-esteem and I'm begging for reviews; I'm doing this because I put _so much effort_ into it and if it isn't liked then I don't want to exhaust myself writing it for two people. (Even though I'd love those two people dearly and cherish their booties.) So, tell your friends, your siblings, you parents, that hobo on the street if he has access to an Internet cafe, to prove they're enjoying this! I would be forever grateful.

There. That's the end. Start demanding your cookies and booties now.

P.S. This story won't be updated until I've got the whole positions thing worked out, so don't expect this to be updated next week or tomorrow or something. **SO PM ME FOR POSITIONS AND SHOW ME YOUR LOVE IF THIS STORY IS TO BE UPDATED.** **WHOOP. **

/actual end of me being a poopy.


	2. The Aries II

Hello gorgeous people! Here is your next installment of** Hero of the Zodiac**! I only gained one consultant (and the BEST consultant ever) from last chapter's note, so I'm posting the note again. However, this time it's going to be a top of the page.

"What I'm asking for are **betas and consultants**. I don't care how many betas I get; the more the merrier. You could work out how the multi-Beta'ing would work; I'd give you full power of that. I also need video game fans. Huge fans of the Legend and Zelda franchise (which is what this story is heavily influenced by, especially _Twilight Princess_) are EXACTLY what I'm looking for. They'd be the consultants to _parts that I won't name because it might give the rest of this arc away_._  
_

**In order to be a beta, you must have:**

-Written at least five stories that have comments _OR_ prove that you have beta'd a decent story before

-Be friendly because you'll probably have to interact with other betas.

-Knowledge on how to write active sentences. I SUCK at those and consider them to be my major weakness.

**In order to be a consultant, you must have**:

-A sufficient amount of knowledge on Dungeon games (ex. _The Legend of Zelda_).

-Creativity and imagination

-The ability to withstand my ignorance when it comes to these kinds of games. I'll be asking questions.

That's the gist of it. Extra: you have to be able to do _all_ the requirements. Not just one of the three, or even two of the three. I'm trusting you to help me through it all. I can make an estimated chapter index for you: about 60 chapters (hopefully). There are 12 zodiac signs, and I'm hoping I can give them each 3-5 chapters each.

Oh, and I don't want all of you being betas/consultants. I probably won't go over three or something."

Thank you for reading and continue the story!_  
_

* * *

**Day 4 - Arien Hospital**

* * *

"Today's the you get your name!" Feliciano cheered, helping him out of bed. "I can finally stop calling you 'you' or 'black haired man'. I also feel that I should tell you that I asked the namer to give you a traditional Sagittarian name. I think it'd fit you a lot more than an Aries name, ve. Fun fact, my grandfather was a Taurean so when he came here to Aria he asked if my family could stick to Taurean names. That's how I got Feliciano and my brother got Lovino! Both are very Taurean names. The Taurus likes names that can be said very fast."

"What are…Sagittarian names like?" he asked.

"I think they sound beautiful. They roll off your tongue nicely. Their spelling is sometimes a little complicated and it takes time to learn how to enunciate some of them correctly, but once you learn they are very pretty names, ve. And I think they would suit you nicely," Feliciano said. "I left some clothes on the chair for you. Just knock on the door when you're ready."

When Feliciano left, he went for his clothes. The clothing was simple: a white cotton shirt and pants. He dressed himself quickly, not wanting to be late to the ceremony. He knocked on the door and Feliciano opened it.

"Great! The clothes fit you. Now come on, we can't be late for your naming ceremony, ve!"

Feliciano pulled him along through the halls of the boarding house, leading him toward the Recreation Center. "All the namings are usually done in the Shrine, but since it's unavailable at the time, the Recreation Center is used in its stead."

He nodded, keeping up with Feliciano's pace.

"There are usually about seven families there, so you'll have to sit through other ceremonies. It's highly offensive to leave if the ceremony isn't completed," Feliciano explained. "Also, remain quiet until you are given your name. It is customary to thank the father that blessed you, however, when you get your name."

Feliciano briefed him on other small things, like how to congratulate other families without disturbing the ceremony and how to sit properly. When they reached the Recreation Center, he was taken aback by how it had transformed. It was no longer the bland room it had been; now it was covered in Aries symbols and the color scarlet. There where nine rows of benches, split in half by a walkway, and a grand altar that held a large metal statue of a ram jumping over the curls of the Aries symbol toward the benches. Many families were gathered around, some couples holding babies.

"Mister!"

He looked for the source of the voice and noticed Britta waving her hand. He smiled at her and walked over to her.

"Me and my moms saved you a spot!" Britta said, pulling him down next to her. "I told you I'd come!"

He chuckled. "I thank you for keeping your word."

Britta gave him a huge grin. A brunette woman next to Britta cleared her throat. Britta's eyes widened for a moment. "Oh, right! Mister, these are my mommas."

The brunette gave him a polite smile. "My name is Safira and this is my wife Malou." She gestured to the blonde next to her.

The blonde, Malou, waved her hand. "Britta has talked so much about you. She begged to come see you named."

It took him a moment to realize that Feliciano wasn't next to him. He looked around to see Feliciano talking to the Name Giver.

"Ooh, is that your friend, mister?" Britta asked. "I've talked to him before! He's really nice. He played Ra with me before."

He gave her a confused look.

"Ra is what the kids call 'Ring of the Arien'," Malou explained. "Much easier to say for them."

He nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you for explaining."

Britta continued to talk (adorably, as all kids were adorable) until the ceremony was commenced by Father Ansgar. Feliciano took a seat right next Malou and turned his attention to the altar.

"We open up this momentous ceremony with a prayer to our Guardian, the Aries Mathias," said Father Ansgar in a powerful voice. It made the black haired man jump a little. "The Aries, guardian of our land and brother of the Zodiac, may we call down on your blessing of this ceremony. May your wisdom and guidance be passed down to each of these candidates, their names symbolizing the generosity you have given mankind. Amen."

A chorus of amens followed, and even some babies babbled.

Father Ansgar smiled. "It seems we have some eager candidates today, yes? Let's not keep them waiting any longer."

The black haired man sat in the third row on the right side, making him the sixth person out of ten to go up. The ceremony warmed his heart, seeing the babies blubber happily as the sign of the Aries was painted on their foreheads. The parents looked overjoyed when they were handed the wooden Aries necklace. However, he was eager to get his own name. Yet he stayed calm and collected on the surface, patiently waiting for his turn.

Feliciano touched his bicep when it was his turn. He got up and walked up to Father Ansgar, receiving a broad smile.

"It is not every day I get to name a young man, and a special young man you are. You are to be blessed under the Aries, but receive a Sagitarrian name upon request. A very wise combination, if I were to say so. I so enjoyed finding a unique name for such a unique young man." Father Ansgar began the naming prayer again. "O Great Aries Mathias, look down on this young man to give him your strength, endurance, and infinite wisdom to fulfill his life as an Arien man. Under you, he is to be named Kiku Honda from this day forward, now and forever."

The black haired man—_Kiku_ watched Father Asgar paint the symbol of the Aries on his forehead. Kiku bowed his head and Father Asgar placed the necklace over his head.

Father Asgar smiled when Kiku lifted his head up. "Welcome to Aria, Kiku.

* * *

**Day 6 - Arien Hospital  
**

* * *

Kiku didn't know if he regretted finding the training room or not. It's where he spent a considerable amount of time, considering he still lived in the Recovery wing. He'd spend hours watching swordsmen and –women spar and practice techniques. Kiku would memorize all their names and the movements in his head to practice in his room at night. He learned the basics, using a mop he had found. He was nowhere near the master level some of the sword wielders were on, but he was learning.

It was only until Abel showed up one day, smoking his pipe, did Kiku actually participate in the sparring.

"You again. What they name you? Halsten*****?"

Kiku looked at the man with narrowed eyes. "Kiku Honda."

"A Sagittarian name? Wasn't expecting that," Abel said. "Kiku, huh?"

Kiku nodded and looked back to the sparring. It was silent before Abel spoke up again.

"You know how to use a sword?"

Kiku glanced at him. "Not really."

Abel walked over to the wall of swords, picking two wooden swords. Kiku felt a little deflated. He had his eye on one of the slimmer swords. He had seen one woman use it and cut straight through a log she had set up without any resistance. The performance sold him completely.

Abel followed his line of sight. "You want the katana? Why don't we start with something simpler and not incredibly deadly?" Abel handed him one of the wooden swords. "Show me what you know."

Kiku stood in the starting stance.

"Distribute your weight more," Abel immediately said. "You'll lose your balance if you stand like that. "

He complied, and then did some basic striking motions.

"Your striking is nice. Fluid, even. But you waver a little. Trying and stab me."

Kiku looked at him like he had grown third eye.

"You don't have enough training to actually do something harmful to me, so just stab me."

The challenge rang clear through the air. Abel thought that Kiku didn't have enough experience to actually _do_ some damage. Slightly offended, even if it was true, Kiku wasn't about to let this man insult him and get away with it.

He got back into his starting stance, running through the techniques he had memorized. The easiest one seemed to be the fake jab. He let himself lean to one side as he had seen the master do. He watched Abel immediately favor that side like the student had. He ran forward, still leaning to the side, keeping his face blank but smiling on the inside at the fact that he had Abel tricked. At the last second, he faked to the other side and stabbed then. He felt his body swell with self-pride when Abel seemed surprised, but that all disappeared when Abel blocked the blow easily, throwing Kiku's sword out of his hands.

"While I definitely wasn't expecting that as your first move, it was still easy to deflect. Your movements are sluggish and you wavered."

Kiku looked down in embarrassment and humiliation.

"We'll work that out later. Now, show me your opening stance again. We'll work on transitioning into a move," Abel said. He moved into an opening stance as well. "And we'll keep working 'til you get it right, got it?"

* * *

**Day 66 - Arien Hospital**

* * *

The clashing of metal could be heard as two swordsmen parried. One was considerably smaller than the other, but the Pisces-sized one had the upper hand. His movements were fluent, his sword fast. His opponent barely had enough time to block every assault dealt, out of breath and sweating like a pig. The smaller man took his opportunity, faking to one side before quickly pulling himself to the opposite side, effectively pointing his sword to his opponent's neck.

The opponent, a renowned swordsman by the name of Elvard, grinned. "Well done, Kiku. You have learned so much in such little time. I guess now a days there is nothing more than to spar and pray, yes?"

Kiku nodded, not voicing his opinion on the matter. Elvard noticed immediately.

"What did I tell you about not sharing your opinion?"

Kiku looked up at him. "…To always speak my mind."

"Yes, so speak."

"But, it is rude to object one's opinion on a matter."

"Boy, that's what opinions are all about. I've said mine now tell me yours."

"I…believe that is a dull outlook, sir. Our savior will come soon, we just need to ready ourselves. Help is on its way," said Kiku. "I apologize if I offended you in anyway, sir."

"Not at all, son, not at all. I supposed it is nice to have an optimist around," the swordsman said gruffly. "Now, back to fighting. You've already mastered the basics (in an astonishing two months, I may add) and have learned some different techniques to defense. You were already an agile fighter, so we just had to perfect your stances and balance. Kiku, if I were your master, I'd feel confident about sending you off into the world knowing you have learn a great deal. I've taught you everything you need, now you must find your own technique, stick to it, and develop it."

Kiku bowed graciously to the swordsman who had been his main mentor for the past months.

"Both Abel and I have agreed that when I felt you learned the meaning of swordsmanship, you were deserving of a reward. Wait one moment," Elvard said. He walked to one of the windows and pulled something out from behind the curtain. He revealed a sword in a scabbard.

The scabbard, a simple black, looked too thin and curved to be the sheath of a training sword. Kiku felt his heart rate speed up; that was a scabbard for a _katana_.

"Abel said he saw you eyeing one of these a while back. Said I should give you one when it felt right," Elvard explained, handing the sword to Kiku. "Well, it feels right. You've earned this, Kiku."

"I-I don't deserve such a reward!" he protested, trying to give the sword back.

"Nonsense!" Elvard said. "If there is one person in the world that deserves it, it's you."

Kiku looked down at the sword again. "You are too generous, sir."

Elvard put a hand on his shoulder. "Have any name ideas? Every good sword deserves a name."

Kiku thought for a moment. "Cherry blossom."

"Now why chose something like that?"

Kiku blushed, embarrassed. "Well, I wake up to cherry blossoms on my window sill every morning. They are my favorite kind of flower."

"Nice sentiment, but how about something shorter? Something that means cherry blossom?"

"How about 'Sakura'?"

The new voice made both swordsmen jump. Feliciano was standing at the doorway, a surprised look on his face.

"Ve, I didn't mean to startle you! I was saying that 'Sakura' means cherry blossoms in one of the ancient Zodiac languages," Feliciano explained.

Elvard nodded thoughtfully. "It has a nice ring to it. You like it, son?"

Kiku looked at the sword. "Sakura…I like it."

"Great!" Feliciano clasped his hands together. "I am happy you could name your sword. Have you tested it out yet?"

"No," Kiku answered.

"You might want to; I've heard katana's are very dangerous and can cut through solid bone!"

"The katana's also considerably lighter, so we'll need to do some additional training to get you used to it. It shouldn't take long," Elvard added. He set up one of the wooden training dummies. "Unsheathe your katana and slice this in half anyway you want."

Kiku pulled the katana out slowly, carefully making sure he didn't knick himself. The metal guard of the sword had Aries symbols in a circle, and the pommel had a dangling red ribbon. The sword itself had a swirling design, depicting rams clashing together. The sword was one of beauty.

Once fully unsheathed, Kiku held the sword in his hands. He shifted its weight, getting a feel of it.

"You gonna slice something or not, son?" Elvard called from next to the log. "We need some fire wood."

Kiku blushed in embarrassment. "I apologize, sir."

"Less apologizing, more cutting."

The black haired man nodded, getting into the standing position. With both hands on the sword, Kiku raised it so the blade was parallel to his ear. He let out a small breath and focused on the log. Kiku charged suddenly, so quick that Feliciano had a hard time keeping an eye on him. Kiku brought the sword above his head, slicing it diagonally. The log didn't resist at all, chopping right through the block of wood.

"That was great, Kiku! Your form was excellent and the block showed no resistance. Sparring with someone will be the next step, but I think we could postpone that until tomorrow, yes? You may not be tired, but old men like me tend to get worn out rather quickly. That spar earlier took it out of me."

"I'll fight him."

All three men in the room jumped.

"When will any of you learn to knock?" Elvard groaned. "I can't take anymore jump scares, Abel."

The blonde man walked over to the sword wall and chose the other katana. "Apologies. As I was saying, I'll fight Kiku so you can rest. I see you gave him his reward."

"He's come a long way. I felt he was ready," Elvard responded.

"We'll see about that," Abel said as he got into a starting position.

Kiku fell back into his stance, watching the Libran man carefully.

"C'mon, show me what you've learned!"

Kiku charged silently, making sure his attention stayed solely on Abel and his katana. Abel blocked the first attack. The sheer force made Kiku's whole body resonate in response; Abel slowly started to push down on Kiku, making the smaller man bend backwards. Kiku ran through all the possible ways to get out of the hold, feeling his back stretch to its limits as his torso was parallel to the ground. Kiku looked up into Abel's eyes and felt himself anger; the haughty look in his eyes told Kiku that the man though he had already won the fight.

"Don't snap the boy in half!" Elvard called.

Kiku growled and pushed back hard and kicked Abel in his thigh. Abel backed up quickly, barely having enough time to block any of Kiku's quick attacks.

"Where did this come from?" Abel taunted.

Kiku glared in response and continued his attacks. While Abel blocked every single one, it was apparent that he felt tired; his blocks seemed slightly sluggish. The advantage Kiku had over Abel's strength was his agility and Kiku used it correctly. His constant attacks had Abel slowing down and that would give Kiku the chance he needed. He saw it when Abel was putting his sword down again; the man seemed worn out but readying for another frontal attack. Kiku made it look like he was going to attack again before rolling to the side to face Abel's back. He used the pommel of his sword to hit him in the back of the neck, sending Abel to the ground.

When the Libran man turned over onto his back, Kiku held up the blade to his throat.

Abel narrowed his eyes up at Kiku. "You win."

They held each others gaze for a moment, a speck of respect showing in Abel's before Elvard interrupted them.

"Ah, that was great, boys! Abel did well with keeping up with Kiku's attacks and Kiku did amazing with that roll," the old swordsman said.

Kiku removed the sword from Abel's neck and bowed his head to Elvard. "Thank you."

He offered his hand to Abel. Abel looked like he was about to ignore it, but his expression softened, albeit slightly, and he accepted the help. Kiku pulled him up, the momentum causing them to stumble into each other. Abel instantly wrapped his arms around Kiku's waist to steady both of them.

"Sorry," the larger man mumbled, sliding his hands off of Kiku.

"I-it's no problem," Kiku stammered, his face hot. He nearly hid his face in his hands when he heard Feliciano giggle. Kiku looked away quickly, walking over to his scabbard and sliding the katana back in. He ignored Abel's gaze on his back, trying to erase the prior event from his memory.

_How embarrassing!_ Kiku scolded himself. _Stop thinking about it!_

When Kiku looked back up, he caught Abel leaving the room. Their eyes met briefly, Abel raising a questioning eyebrow. Kiku looked away again and finally let out a breath when the man finally left.

"Nice work today, Kiku," Elvard said, clapping him on the back. "See you tomorrow."

Once the swordsman left, only Feliciano and Kiku were remained.

"You did great, Kiku. You've developed so much," Feliciano praised. "I have much confidence in you."

Kiku bowed his head. "Thank you."

Feliciano smiled softly. "I must speak with you, however. Tomorrow morning, meet me in the library. We have a lot to discuss and you need rest."

Kiku nodded, slightly confused. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Rest well."

* * *

***Halsten means either large rock, boulder, or mountain in the Scandinavian languages. (I apologize. I don't remember the specifics. All you need to know is that it's Abel trying to be sassy.)  
**

**Remember to PM me about positions. If you want these chapters to turn out better, I need at least one beta. Hopefully, this time I can get more of you to "enlist" and the next chapter won't have to be so far away. **


	3. The Aries III

**Day 67 - Arien Hospital**

* * *

The library was a grand room three doors down from the cafeteria. Large oak doors that nearly reached the ceiling marked its location and like most other places in the Aries's land, they depicted great rams.

Kiku pulled the door open just enough so that he could squeeze through. He quietly closed the door behind him and felt his breath catch in his throat. The room consisted of one large space, its ceiling seemingly limitless. Bookcases upon bookcases lined the center, as well as covering the walls. The bookcases were numbered 001 to 400, and the shelves were also individually numbered, with about 26 shelves on each.

Kiku had no idea where to find Feliciano behind all the books, so he wandered through the maze of bookcases. He glanced at titles, the books varying from anatomy to simple pictures for children. Kiku found an interesting section about the species found in Aria, learning that there were other people than the sick and recovering. (You couldn't _blame_ him. He'd been inside the hospital for two months with barely any outside contact.)

"Kiku? Kiku? Are you here? I heard the door close," Feliciano called from somewhere near.

Kiku snapped the book closed and put it back, walking down the aisle to find Feliciano. The priest was standing in the walkway, looking bewildered.

"I'm here," Kiku said.

Feliciano's face lit up when he caught sight of Kiku. "There you are, ve! Come this way, I want to talk to you over here."

Feliciano waited for Kiku to walk up to him before he grabbed his hand and led him to a loft in the corner.

"Up here is the section about all the Guardians and the lands they created. This'll be the best place to talk about…_things_."

Kiku didn't like the way Feliciano hesitated to say "things", but followed him up the steep staircase anyway. On the loft there was a four-person table and wall shelves filled with books, though not an excessive amount like the rest of the library. There were also standing shelves leaning on the railing, so one sitting at the table couldn't see what was going on and vice versa for someone on the main floor. It looked very secretive.

"Sit down." Feliciano gestured to the table while running his hands over the spines of the books, trying to find the correct one.

Kiku sat down, looking around at the books. They were organized by golden Guardian symbols above their respective books cases. A dial with tiny etchings of all the signs in their respective cardinal position marked the bookcase Feliciano was looking through.

"Ve! Here we are," Feliciano exclaimed, grabbing one book. "'How the Guardians Created the Universe'. Did you know we have the one in the best condition in all the lands, Kiku? The other lands have managed to damage it somehow—usually from overuse—but the Arien people have kept it safe all this time." Feliciano took the seat next to Kiku. "So, how much to you know about the Guardians, ve?"

Kiku explained that he only knew they represented the Zodiac and that they all had different lands.

"I guess I'll start from the beginning, then. But here's one fact a lot of people seem to forget: no matter if we follow the Aries or the Scorpio, true followers respect each one of the Zodiac. Though they may not be your patron Guardian, they are someone else's and you ought to respect that. It is not a crime for someone to have a different patron Guardian, it's simply a matter of his or her beliefs and no one is to question it. While I answer directly to the Aries Mathias, you have seen first-hand how I adore the Sagittarius Yao. There are some people you'll meet who don't agree with what I've just said and it's your duty to set them straight. No one person of a certain patron is better than the next; we are _all_ equal." Feliciano smiled at Kiku. "Now, onto the history lesson, ve!"

_In the beginning, there was a barren land. It had no life; no animals, no plants, no water, no mountains, no people. The Mother of the Great Land took pity on its nothingness, but she had no power to change it. She was made to sustain the barren land and could not alter her charge. In place of her, she birthed thirteen children. She gave them all their own area of land to do with whatever they pleased. _

_First there was the Aries, adventurous and energetic. He made his valleys, adorned with grand mountains to give him room to play. The second was the Taurus, compassionate and reliable. He made his land a land of rich soil and grass for grazing so he would be able to take care of other animals. The third and fourth were the twin Gemini, jovial and inquisitive. Their land was made with tough soil and large mountains in order to maintain stability to build various things. The fifth was the Cancer, loyal and empathetic. His land was filled with lush greenery and lakes to ensure the protection of his people. The sixth was the Leo, kind and honest. His land was grassland to hide in when it got too hot. The seventh was the Virgo, sincere and patient. She made her land forests and woods to cover her people from harsh weather. The eighth was the Libra, loving and cheerful. Her land was a mixture of mountains, plains, and lakes to provide balance. The ninth was Scorpio, charismatic and trustworthy. He created his land to be desert-like to allow room for many creatures to live. The tenth was the Sagittarius, intellectual and forthright. He created his land to contain large plains and mountains of green to guard his people from attacks. The eleventh was the Capricorn, hardworking and responsible. He made his land border the sea so creatures could have the choice of where to reside. The twelfth was the Aquarius, friendly and practical. He made his land covered in groves and springs to provide life for all creatures. The last was the Pisces, intuitive and sensible. She made her land underwater to keep all creatures company. _

_The Great Mother named them all Guardians of the Zodiac and Protectors of the Great Land. Before the Great Mother gave up her place to her children, she gave them all humans to watch over. Once the Great Mother was gone, the Guardians began building their civilizations on their own. Any human was allowed access to any land to learn about the other cultures and people. The Guardians adored the people and in return the humans adored Them. The Guardians shared Their languages with the people, along with interests and preferred ways of doing things. The humans made monuments to their patron Guardians to represent their love. All was well in the Great Land._

_However, the humans started to turn on each other, trying to prove that their patron Guardian was the most powerful of the Zodiac. They warred with each other, killing so many of their own. The Guardians, ashamed that Their people would even think of such a thing, created the Zodiac Gates to keep them away from each other. No one was allowed to crossover into any land for a long time._

_Slowly, the humans started to respect the other Guardians more and it was decided that the gates would be opened. However, only people with true intent and respect for all the Guardians would be allowed to crossover. All was well once again._

"That's how it all began, ve," Feliciano said. "There's more history like wars and such, but you don't need to know much about that. Now that you know the basics, I think I should tell you why I brought you here."

Kiku nodded.

"What's your earliest memory, Kiku?"

Kiku bit his lip, trying to think back. He remembered waking up.

"You remember waking up, right?"

Kiku nodded.

"Did anyone ever tell you how you ended up here?" Feliciano asked.

Kiku shook his head.

"You fell from the sky, ve."

Kiku's eyes widened. "What?!"

Feliciano nodded. "I watched it happen. You scared me for a moment, ve. Had it not been for the conversation I had with the Aries Mathias before you appeared, I might have had a conniption, ve!"

"C-conversation? But I was told the Aries Mathias hasn't been seen for months!"

"I know, which is why I was ecstatic to talk to him. I think something or some_one_ is hurting him and keeping him from us. When we had our conversation, he told me this: "When night trumps over day, one will fall from the sky to avenge the corrupt land." I was confused at first, but then you came along." Feliciano put his hands on Kiku's shoulders. "Kiku, _you _fell from the sky. You are the one he was talking about."

Kiku felt his shoulders slump as he fell into the recesses of his mind. _I am supposed to save the lands? But I have only been here for two months! I am the least adequate to avenge a whole world! Why would I be chosen for this?_

"Kiku, are you all right? I didn't frighten you, did I?" Feliciano asked frantically. "Ve, please answer!"

Kiku snapped out of his thoughts and looked to Feliciano. "I apologize. I am just trying to adjust to this information."

"I understand. Take all the time you need," Feliciano said. "I can leave if you want and we can discuss this tomorrow if you'd like."

"No!" Kiku blushed at his quick objection. "I mean, no, I'd like to discuss this further if it means ending the pain we've been having."

Feliciano eyed him carefully before continuing. "As I was saying, I think something's poisoning the Aries Mathias and he sent you to save him. It's why I let you sword train with Elvard and Abel; I thought you'd need to have some skills with a sword in order to do this task. I know you would've liked to train more here, but I have faith that you will learn much from your travels to the other lands. I think that was all I wanted to tell you. How are you feeling about this, ve?"

Kiku gulped and played with his hands. "It's just a lot of responsibility for someone who can only remember the past two months."

"I know it is, but I have complete and utter trust in your ability to do this. The Guardians gifted you to us; you _have_ power. You just need to discover it." Feliciano rested a hand on Kiku's. "You have all the weapons at your disposal, it only matters how you use them."

"When should I start then?" Kiku asked.

"Whenever you're ready."

Kiku sighed, silent for a moment. "Tomorrow would be best, right?"

Feliciano nodded his head slowly. "But I am not rushing you. I know this is a big responsibility."

Kiku stayed silent again, before he looked Feliciano in the eye with a hardened expression. "I will start tomorrow. I accept the quest."

Feliciano grinned and brought Kiku in for a hug. "I can't help but feel proud, ve! My friend is finally strong enough to take on this quest!"

"F-friend?" Kiku stuttered, not used to the term.

Feliciano pulled back and looked at Kiku. "We are friends, yes?"

"I—yes, we're friends," Kiku agreed.

Feliciano smiled and Kiku returned it with a small one of his own.

"Tomorrow I am going to take you to the Shrine and let you through. Unfortunately, I can't go further than the gate. I get a nauseous feeling. Since you are the chosen one, I'd assume you aren't as affected by it," Feliciano explained. "Well, this morning was a quiet a load of information, ve. You can go train, but make sure to rest as much as you can for tomorrow. I have some errands to run, so don't overwork yourself, ve!"

Feliciano gave Kiku one last hug before getting up and walking down the steep stairs. He turned back to Kiku before he left. "Oh, and feel free to look at any of the books if you want information on the Guardians and the other lands."

Kiku decided that he'd train for a little bit with his katana, then go back and read the Guardian books before heading off to bed. He had a long day ahead of him and an even longer one the day after. No one ever saved the world sleep-starved and Kiku wasn't about to be the first.

* * *

**Day 68 - Shrine of the Aries**

* * *

The walk to the Shrine was an unfamiliar one. Kiku had not stepped a single foot out of the Hospital since his arrival and Aria surprised him. Just like the books had said, the land of the Aries was valleys and hills. They were currently located in a valley, hills rolling all around them. The Shrine, according to Feliciano, was located inside the tallest hill. The Shrine's entrance was at the bottom and spiraled up to the top.

"I would assume Mathias is located all the way at the top," Feliciano said.

"That's a _looooong_ walk," said Britta who was holding Kiku's hand. "Are you sure you won't get tired, Kiku?"

Kiku nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. The walk was the least of his worries.

The group reached the entrance to the shrine shortly after. The red doors were coated in a dark mass of moving energy. Kiku watched Feliciano's face darken instantly.

"Britta, stay back, ve," he said to the little girl.

Britta obeyed and let go of Kiku's hand.

"This is dark magic," Feliciano said quietly to Kiku. "I'm afraid to send you in there, now."

Kiku sighed. "I'll find a way around it."

"Kiku, this isn't pulling-a-bunny-out-of-a-hat magic. This is _death_ magic. Someone's sealing this door with black magic."

"You didn't know this before?"

"I knew it was being sealed by something dark, but it has only recently evolved into this." Feliciano thought for a moment. "I think it _knew_ you were coming." The priest shook his head. "I don't feel comfortable sending you in there without proper knowledge on black magic. We can take two more weeks so you can learn—"

"That won't be necessary."

Kiku looked toward Britta, his eyes widening. Behind her stood Abel, smoking his pipe like always.

"Abel, what are you doing here?" Feliciano asked.

"I'll act as his expert in black magic," Abel explained. He handed Britta his pipe. "Hold that for me until I get back, all right, kid?"

Britta looked down at the pipe in confusion and Feliciano quickly took it from her grasp. "And what credentials to you have with black magic, ve?"

"It's none of your business, priest," Abel sneered. He walked past the silently fuming young priest and up to Kiku. "You ready for this?"

Kiku nodded, clutching his sword.

He stepped forward, putting his hand on the door. To his amazement, the dark energy instantly moved away to outline the doorway. He pushed the door in and it opened, creaking slowly to reveal a dark tunnel lit by eerie aqua colored flames that hung from the ceiling.

"Eternal fire," Abel explained. "All shrines have them. They don't burn you if you touch them. They're magic themselves."

Kiku looked up at Abel.

He raised an eyebrow. "After you, savior."

The doors sealed shut once they were both in, the slamming noise surprise them both. Kiku tried to get the energy to move again but the door still wouldn't budge.

"I guess we just have to defeat whatever's controlling the dark magic," Abel suggested. "We should start moving. Who knows how long this'll take."

Kiku drew his sword, leading the way down the tunnel. Their walk was silent, not a sound being made by either man.

_What am I doing?_ Kiku thought. _I'm in way over my head. I have no idea what I'm doing; this isn't sparring, it's real life. I don't belong here, doing this._

Abel's gruff voice brought him back. "The Hell, there's another door."

Kiku looked ahead to see the next set of double doors. "I hope that's the last set."

Abel snorted before pushing them open. Kiku was blinded by aqua light immediately.

"Shit, come this way!" Kiku felt Abel grab ahold of his wrist and drag him to the ground.

Kiku's eyes adjusted to see Abel glowing a faint orange. "What's happened to you? Are you all right?"

"No," Abel hissed. "I didn't think this was going to happen. How could I've been so stupid?"

"Abel—" Except it was no longer Abel in the spot next to him behind the boulder. It was a _bunny_. The bunny had an orange head with a white stripe going from around its muzzle to its forehead, a white chest and upper back, and orange the rest of the way down. "Abel?"

"Yes?" The bunny's voice was impatient.

"You…you're a bunny."

"_Rabbit_, actually," Abel scoffed. "And it's because the dark magic is making me change to my least magical form. I can still help you with the magic; I just won't be a human anymore. I'll explain the rest later. Do you have a pouch you can secure me in?"

"I think so." Kiku found the largest pouch he had strapped on and rearranged it so it sat on his hip.

Abel nuzzled his way into it, sticking his head out the top. "All right. Another reason I pulled you here was because there's a dark magic _thing_ on the bridge."

Kiku stuck his head around the boulder to get a look of the area. Not only was there this small shadow creature walking back and forth on the bridge, there were also many other ones loitering around the other side.

"Also, the stream the bridge is going over is filled with death magic; it's turned _purple_. There's a key at the other side; looks like someone might have dropped it trying to get out," Abel explained. "That's all I was able to observe. Get to the other side and we can explore it more. I'm ready when you are."

Kiku grunted in acknowledgement. He slowly stood up, keeping his eye on the shadow creature as it paced back and forth. It looked the shape of a tailless, medium-size dog, and was completely black. It had no space for eyes or a nose, just a snout, legs, and pointed ears.

"This shouldn't be difficult. It gives off a very weak aura. Now get going so we can get this over with!"

While annoyed, Kiku agreed in his head. That faster they found out what was happening the better. He pushed off of the rock, running as softly as he could. However, the ground betrayed him and the crunch of dirt beneath his boots signaled his position. The Shadow Hound turned on him, snarling. Its razor-like teeth were ivory, completely contrasting its ebony body. It stalked towards him slowly, hackles raised. It let out a sharp bark.

Kiku stood in one spot, completely still.

"What are you doing? Attack it! It doesn't feel pain, it's a shadow!" Abel exclaimed from his pouch.

Kiku glared down at the rabbit—a huge mistake. The Shadow Hound took its chance and leaped at Kiku, teeth barred.

"Move, move, _move_!" Abel yelled, surprisingly loud for a small rabbit.

Kiku rolled out of the way, dodging the first attack.

"What's the matter with you? If you can bring down me, who is a good head and a half taller than you, you can take down a measly mutt!"

Kiku narrowed his eyes, getting into his fighting stance. The Shadow Hound emitted a long growl, edging towards the man again. This time, however, when it pounced, Kiku was ready. The swordsman ducked down, putting the katana parallel to his body. The Shadow Hound split in half perfectly, dispersing back to the shadows.

"There we go!" Abel cheered. "Now we can explore—"A chorus of growls stopped the rabbit mid-sentence. "Spoke too soon."

Two other Shadow Hounds were running across the bridge and Kiku met them head on. Kiku readied himself, slicing down on the first one and swinging Sakura to the side to attack the other.

"OK, _now_ we can explore."

Kiku smiled slightly, looking down the white and orange rabbit. "Thank you for helping me with the fight. I think…I think I'm still overwhelmed by all of this."

"Understandable. Now get moving. You saw how big this place is; it's going to take a long time to get all the way up there."

Kiku looked around the large room, noting the tunnel opening in the corner, the poisonous river, and the set of ledges that delivered one to the sealed door of the next floor. He imagined the key on the ledge unlocked the doors above.

Kiku let out a quiet sigh. This was going to take slightly longer than he had anticipated.

"We'll need all the time we can get to figure this place out," Abel said from his pouch.

Kiku took a deep breath before sheathing Sakura and walking toward the ominous tunnel.

* * *

**I am really sorry about the delay, but I'm afraid the same might happen with the next chapter. As you all might guess, the problem is school. I'm a freshman this year and I am COMPLETELY overwhelmed, so my top priority hasn't been writing HotZ. I humbly ask for your patience until I can find time to continue writing. ****The lack of reviews is also a problem for my confidence. Do you guys like Hero of the Zodiac? Please, give me your opinion. Do you like the concept? How about Abel's personality? (I have no prior knowledge on the Netherlands; this is my first go at his character.) Are all the characters bearable and believable? Are you excited for the Boss Battle? How about the other eleven Zodiac Guardians? (I think it's rather obvious who the Taurus is. *cough*BULLS*cough*) **

**Again, I am truly sorry! **

**HEY YOU! The Beta and Consultant Applications are still open. Think you fit the criteria? Drop a PM by me and we can talk. **


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